Scroll Of Strange Races

Omgar THE MAN CAME OVER THE SAND DUNE. TUGGING AT the reigns of a grumpy old camel, which he had packed high with all sorts of odd cargo. We could hardly make out his shape through the heat haze bounding off the sand; the lack of water hadn't helped our vision either. He approached slowly and lifted the draping cloak off of his oddly-shaped head, revealing his deep red skin and eyes as yellow as the sand we had come to hate. A toothy grin crawled across his gritty face and he spoke through his teeth, "Need water?". I still don't quite remember how much he made us pay for that half-filled waterskin, all I know is that after that, we headed home empty-handed, albeit alive. -Guil'arr Sandcrest, on his first encounter with an omgar Originating from the Elemental Plane Of Fire, Omgar nomads now walk the desert wastes unaffected by the harsh heat, their pack animals stacked high with odd scavenged cargo. Naturally selfish at heart, the Omgar rarely go out of their way to help others unless they foresee it benefiting them greatly. They dress themselves in gaudy outfits and hold no qualms over shows of wealth or status, believing that to show wealth is to show power.

Rovers and Collectors

Omgar operate in small, nomadic tribes, rarely exceeding fourteen members. Everyone within the tribe usually has a pack animal they are responsible for, packing the creatures back high with odd trinkets and objects found on their journeys. The leader of the tribe is picked by measuring the height of their pack animal's cargo. The Omgar with the most wealth or interesting objects is deemed the most fit to lead.

Selfish Ambitions

It's uncommon for an Omgar to leave their tribe to attempt to fit into a human society. Those that do often do so after hearing promise of great treasure or adventure, their selfish nature leading them to pursue these things for great personal gain. An Omgar in an adventuring party may never feel like they fit in, as their innate selfishness can cause conflicts. That being said, an Omgar is quick to trust a group of individuals who make their life easier, so it is possible for a hardy bond to be formed if the Omgar learns to suppress their selfish nature.

Elemental Origin

The Omgar originated in the Elemental Plane Of Fire, but were driven to take refuge in the Material Plane after their race suffered near extinction following a war fought against the salamanders. The deserts of the material plane are a cool retreat in comparison to the plane of fire and an Omgar can live a comfortable life in even the most scorching of deserts. Their deep red and calloused skin serves as the perfect barrier against the harsh rays of the sun above. Their eyes are spaced out across their oddly-shaped head and are covered in a protective yellow film. This helped shield their eyes from raining ash in the fire plane and now serves as an equally adequate protection against gusts of sand whipped up by a sandstorm.

Omgar have an incredibly slow metabolic rate, due to the scarcity of food and water in their native plane and can survive without food and water for a long period of time. Omgar have stumpy, muscular bodies and are deceptively quick on their feet for their size. Able to run rings around even the most athletic human.

Omgar Names

Omgar are given a single name at birth by the current leader of their tribe. Most Omgar are given short names of five letters or less, but on rare occasions the tribe leader will bestow a name that is merely a click, whistle or burp. Birth Names: Ig, Grobe, Ubbot, Er, Kuru, Avi, Quipe, Wub, Cot, Rutyr, Serro, Ov, Len, Muto, Yeg, Dawt, Ibub, Shomn, Burp, Click, Whistle.

Omgar Traits

You share the following traits with other Omgar. Ability Score Improvement. Your Constitution score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1. Age. Omgar live relatively short lives compared to humans. An Omgar reaches maturity at 15 years old and can live to 60. Alignment. Omgar are selfish creatures and prefer doing things for their own personal gain. They tend towards chaotic neutral. Size. Omgar average between 3 and 4 feet tall and usually weigh no more than 100 pounds. Your size is Small. Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet. Enduring. You can go without food and water for a number of days equal to 7 + your Constitution modifier (minimum 1). Desert Dweller. You have tough, heat-resistant skin to assist in traversing scorching terrain. You have resistance to fire damage. Sand Sight. You have advantage on saving throws against being blinded. Nomadic. You gain proficiency in your choice of either the Animal Handling or Survival skill. Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and Ignan.

Aetheril MY WIFE HAD BEEN ACTING STRANGE. SHE'D BEEN up at night talking to herself and pacing through the house, but I didn't think anything of it. A priest had visited us and told her she was with child. I thought it may have startled her. It wasn't until the priest's second visit later in her pregnancy that we found out the shocking truth. It took the priest and a few helpers five days to exorcise the ghost residing in my wife's body. Even after it was gone, she was never the same. Our daughter was born with odd physical features, her hair and skin stark white, and she started showing signs of strange powers a few days after birth. The church hadn't seen anything like it before and I can't help but feel the ghost has left a physical imprint on my daughter. -Aelgir Warmark, on the birth of his Aetheril daughter. An Aetheril's physiology was twisted and warped in the womb, as a result of their human mother being possessed by an undead spirit during pregnancy. Aetheril are birthed with odd traits that seperate them from their human parents. They share an eldritch connection with the Ethereal Plane and often find themselves serving as mediators between the living and dead.

Ghostly Appearance

Most Aetheril begin life with stark white hair and skin, regardless of the ethnicity of their parents. It's not uncommon for an Aetheril's hair to occasionally stand on end or float as if unaffected by gravity. Dark black bruises dot an Aetheril's skin. These bruises shift and change, disappear and reappear, and animate into ghostly shapes while no one is watching. Regardless of the lifestyle of a Aetheril, they always have the appearance of severe exhaustion. Dark bags hang under their eyes, and their faces appear gaunt and hollow.

Haunting Connection

Even if the spirit that was inhabiting the Aetheril's mother during pregnancy was exorcised and dealt with, an Aetheril can't help but feel like someone is always watching them. An Aetheril could be followed their entire life by the spirit that once inhabited their mother. Whether out of curiosity, malevolence or love, the spirit may feel some connection to the child.

DM note: Haunting Connection Roleplay As the DM, speak with the player wanting to play as an Aetheril. Perhaps their character has made contact with the spirit that inhabited their mother, or perhaps it's always followed them from afar, and is slowly building up the courage to interact with the Aetheril. Decide how the spirit communicates, and interacts with your player.

Beyond the Veil

Aetheril children slowly develop an extrasensory perception, being able to innately see spirits and beings others cannot. A village might see their birth as a blessing, a being to serve as a bridge between the living and the dead. Others might view their very birth as a curse, having dark powers twisted into their physiology by a force of pure evil.

Aetheril Names

Most Aetheril are born from human parents, and they use the same naming conventions as their native culture.

Aetheril Traits

Your Aetheril character has the following racial traits. Ability Score Improvement. Your Charisma score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1. Age. Aetheril mature at the same rate as humans, but can live up to 150 years. Alignment. Touched by the chaotic power of an incorporeal undead in the womb, an Aetheril tends towards chaotic alignments. Size. Aetheril are the same range of height and weight as humans. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Haunting Magic. You know the mage hand cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the dissonant whispers spell with this trait. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the gaseous form spell with it. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and you regain the ability to cast these spells after finishing a long rest. Ethereal Vision. As a bonus action, you can see into the Ethereal plane out to a range of 30 feet. This lasts until the end of your turn. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and you regain all expended uses after finishing a long rest. Languages. You can speak, read and write Common and one other language of your choice.

Terron THE DARK ELVES HAD BEEN CHASING US FOR DAYS now. Whittling down our numbers methodically. They'd sent their forces ahead of us and had cut us off, we had nowhere to run. As the dark elves surrounded us, I heard the strangest noises. A series of high pitch screeches echoed throughout the cavern. It seemed like I wasn't the only one who was put off by the sounds. The dark elves seemed fairly confused as well. It took only five seconds before the entire cavern had filled with bats, they swooped out of the porous ceiling above. Deafening everyone with their loud screeches and blocking vision in every direction. I heard a number of loud thuds and a cold, clawed hand curled over my shoulder. It yanked at me and before I knew it I was being ushered out of the bat filled cavern by a creature that looked no different to those that had just surrounded us. -Jahairo Aureign, saved from dark elf slavers by a group of Terron. Deep in the bowels of the Underdark, there resides a race rarely seen by even the most well-traveled Underdark dwellers. Once great allies to the dark elves, it took only two betrayals to see their entire race enslaved by their former allies. After a mass revolt and exodus of the upper underdark, the now reclusive bat-like humanoid race of the Terron erect their roosts in the most difficult to reach locations under the earth. Avoiding most contact with outside races but ever plotting and scheming to strike back at the race they once called their allies.

Suited for Suberranea

The Terron resemble flightless, bat-like humanoids. They have large ears that excel at picking up distant noise, eyes suited to darkness, clawed hands that give them peerless climbing ability, and dark skin to assist in hiding. A Terron male can be identified by the thick, matted mane that frames his head. The Terron can communicate simple concepts with bats, and domesticate them for use as perimeter scouts at the edges of their territory.

Revenge Minded

The Terron still hold a deep resentment towards the dark elves for their betrayal. Thus, they take great caution when interacting with other races, ever-weary of betrayal and reluctant to reveal too much information to anyone that hasn't gained their full trust. They rarely let anyone from a different race inside the roost, but occasionally take in refugees that may be deemed to have useful information. The Terron aren't inherently malevolent creatures, unless betrayed in some way. A refugee taken into the roost is treated fairly, but is expected to pull their weight. Someone that has gained the favor of a Terron can expect an enduring friendship, so long as that creature doesn't do anything to scathe their trust.

Terron Names

Terron names and the Terron Language are unspeakable by other races. Thus, a Terron will often adopt a simple nickname when interacting with other races.

Terron Traits

Terron share certain traits in common with each other. Ability Score Improvement. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1. Age. Terron live short lives compared to other races, reaching maturity at 5 years old and living to 40. Alignment. Terron are reclusive and rarely trusting of other races. They tend towards chaotic neutral. Size. Terron stand between 4 and 5 feet tall and usually weigh no more than 120 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed of 30 feet. Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. Screech. You can communicate simple ideas and concepts with bats. They can understand the meaning of your words, though you have no special ability to understand them in return. You have advantage on all Charisma checks made to influence them. Tenebrous. While you are in dim light or darkness, you can take the Hide action as a bonus action. Claws. Your claws are natural weapons, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal slashing damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier. Languages. You can speak, read and write Common, Undercommon and Terron.

Living Heirloom HE STARTED MOVING FOR ME AT AGE FIVE. AT FIRST, only his head would move, following me as I walked by him, as if he was tracing my every step. Then he would sneak into my room at night and watch over my door, like a silent guardian. None of this was frightening. I can't explain it but I felt a bond to him like no other; I didn't have any siblings and he filled that void for me, it felt like he was family. My parents didn't believe a word I said until he cut down a pair of wouldbe assassins right in front of them. -Lord Illysvil Tierie, on the Living Heirloom, Edward Armorman.

It's unknown what spurs the magic of the universe to create a Living Heirloom. Some scholars believe it to be the work of the gods, others believe that the ancestral spirits of the family are the forces at work. Regardless, these sentient constructs are born from either a statue, mannequin, or suit of armor that has been in the possession of a single family lineage. It slowly begins it's transformation into sentience over the span of a few years. Once it has completed it's transformation, it feels compelled to the servitude of the family it awoke around, as a knight would feel compelled to serve a lord or lady.

Immortal Guardians

Since a Living Heirloom is immortal, it is likely for them to outlive their families. A Living Heirloom without ties will search for a new purpose, often finding a settlement to guard, a new family to serve, or a group of adventurers to join. Their loyal nature makes them stalwart allies and dependable friends. If news of a Living Heirloom spreads, it might catch the attention of scholars and wizards keen to uncover the secrets behind creating such loyal sentient constructs. Many Living Heirloom's have been killed in unsuccessful experiments.

Living Heirloom Names

A Living Heirloom is often given a name or nickname after it has awoken, dependent on the race or culture of the family it has awoken around.

Living Heirloom Traits

Your Living Heirloom character has the following racial traits. Ability Score Improvement. Your Constitution score increases by 1. Age. They reach full sentience after 3 years. A Living Heirloom's body can be cared for and repaired, therefore they don't age. Alignment. A Living Heirloom serves to the best of its ability. They tend towards lawful alignments. Size. Depending on what they have awoken in, a Living Heirloom can stand anywhere from 4 feet to 7 feet tall and weigh upwards of 150 pounds. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Sentient Construct. Even though you are made from nonorganic material, you are a sentient lifeform. You are immune to disease and you don't need to eat or breathe. You don't require sleep, but you must enter an inactive state for 8 hours to gain the benefits of a long rest. Bloodless. You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition. Inanimate Disguise. While you remain motionless, you have advantage on any ability checks made to disguise yourself as an inanimate version of your form. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice. Subrace. The three main kinds of Living Heirloom are Statue, Mannequin, or Armor Set. Choose one of these subraces.

Statue

You have awoken within a stone statue. For a statue to awake, it must have a head, body, arms, and legs. A Living Heirloom of this kind is imbued with proficiency in a skill that it was depicted as doing before it gained sentience. Skillful Depiction. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice. Stony Exterior. Your body is completely made from stone, granting you a +1 bonus to Armor Class. Mannequin

You gained your consciousness in the body of a mannequin. You have sat idly through the years, modeling hundreds of articles of clothing and wigs of all kinds. A Living Heirloom of this kind is imbued with skill in disguise and subterfuge, everchanging their appearance and personality to suit the occasion. Verbal Avidity. You gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Deception, Intimidation, Performance, or Persuasion. When you finish a long rest, you can choose to replace the proficiency you gained from this trait with one of the other skills listed. Masquerade. You can cast the disguise self spell with this trait, using Charisma as your spell casting ability for it. You can cast this spell a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. After you use this trait, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. Armor Set

You awoke in a suit of full plate armor, watching silently over your family. For a suit of armor to awake, it must be a suit of full plate. A sentient suit of armor of this kind is imbued with military prowess. Innate Combat Prowess. You gain proficiency with one martial weapon of your choice, and shields. Fully Plated. Due to the fact that you are a sentient set of armor, you are ill-suited to wearing additional armor. However, you have a base AC of 16 (your Dexterity modifier doesn't affect this number). You gain no benefits from wearing additional armor, but if you are using a shield, you can apply the shield's bonus as normal. AC 16... but I'm a set of plate armor! Plate armor from the Player's Handbook grants the wearer an Armor Class of 18. Which makes sense, considering the protective outer layers of the metal armor are covering the soft and squishy body of a humanoid underneath. This however is not the case for you. Your life force is intrinsically tied to the suit of armor. Damaging the armor is damaging your body; a tough resistant metal body, but your body nonethe-less.